Boundary Control of
Flexible-Link Electrically Driven Gantry Robots

Background

Gantry robots are used for precision
manufacturing and material handling in the electronics, nuclear,
and automotive industries. Overhead mounted, rectilinear robots
transport heavy payloads in large workspaces with accuracy and
flexibility. In many cases, accurate positioning of the robot
payload is essential. Often, the vibration characteristics rather
than load capacity dictate the size and stiffness of the arm. Light
and flexible links require less power to transport heavy payloads
but may vibrate excessively. These vibrations can then feed into
the robot position control system and cause system
instabilities.

Research Work

Used Hamilton's principle to derive the
governing nonlinear partial differential equations of motion for a
flexible link gantry robot, including the natural boundary
conditions associated with the force control

Publications

Baicu, C.F., and C.D. Rahn, ``Active Boundary
Control of a Flexible Single Link Gantry Robot'', To be presented
at The 13th International Federation of Automatic Control World
Congress, San Francisco, CA, June-July 1996